They’re Heeere!
While NJ is a “may issue” CCW state, such permits are rarer than hen’s teeth. If you aren’t a retired cop, or someone really, really politically connected, you don’t get one. Period. So my looking for a very small and light pistol with excellent “stashability” is only so that I can hide it around the house more easily. The Pistol Purchase Permit is NOT a license to carry, and I would never, ever, never think of doing such a thing. That would be against the law! Even carrying a loaded weapon in your car is a crime in NJ, so I’d never, ever, never think of doing that either.
Besides, I already have a closet full of rifles, shotguns, and full size pistols. All of which were legally purchased, but I chose NOT to register them in NJ, since that is my option. After all, the form you fill out for that is called the “Voluntary Form of Firearms Registration”.
Add to your list:
http://www.ruger.com/LCR/index.html
Supposed to be available this month.Congratulations.
Posted by Guido
03/11/2009 at 09:33 PM
Typo alert: Um...Tuesday and Wednesday have the same date in your post - the 11th.
Drew -
As a former PRNJ resident, I gotta tell ya: PLEASE leave while you can and just cross the river into what is left of a free country. I recently purchased an M1991 (.45). The log goes something like this:x Jan 09: 1000 Hrs: Walked into Target World (the real name of the vendor)
x Jan 09: 1015 Hrs: Identified to sales person desire for particular item
x Jan 09: 1030 Hrs: Completed paperwork for instant check
x Jan 09: 1045 Hrs: Completed all paperwork for purchase
x Jan 09: 1100 Hrs: Complete purchase of firearm and ammunition
x Jan 09: 1110 Hrs: In range warming up new purchase
x Jan 09: 1200 Hrs: Home cleaning new purchase.I am not making this up - the scale is correct.
(And, for reference, I would recommend the 9 - ammo is a little easier to come by. .380 seems to be dear right now, I don’t know why...)
Cheers!
Tony
I keep looking for a smaller (easy to stash)gun but two issues are coming to mind - for some reason the smaller guns vex me to no end and of course adding another calibur of ammo to buy which here is hard to come by. Due to rush and absolute panic (about to take ‘the’ test for my CCL) - we left the mags for my Glock and I ended up using the P22 for my shoot - the instructor did not like that I was all over the target. In my defense - I do not shoot the P22 often (it is to be my daughters gun), had a finger brace on one of my fingers which made hand placement which is already compromised on the smaller gun even harder and I have not ever shot before with someone literally standing at my shoulder.
As I said, it is not that vexing of an issue as I got the CCL primarily because I can but I still want to find a gun that I am comfortable with, can stash and can stop something other than a marauding cat.
At the class there were (as are at the gun shows) a number of tiny guns - I just can’t seem to handle them at all - go figure.
Of course I’ve always been a clutz and uncorordinated as heck.
Drew,
In my experience, if you are really really set on a .380, I would go with the Ruger.
A buddy of mine is found of saying that a well dressed man never leaves the house without a LCP in his vest pocket. In Ohio, If I had enough money, I could by the whole list in less than an hour.Go with the 9mm, it’s worth the little more weight and size, and can pack a lot more umph.
Unless point blank is you intention, then I guess it won’t matter anyhow.I recently purchased a FNP-45 and went through the same exact process at Tony above except I didn’t go to the range that day. Can you imagine having to get a permit to exercise your other Constitutional Rights under the Bill of Rights? Applying for a government permit to attend the church of your choice, to read magazines and newspapers, or to write you Congressman.
As far as concealable guns go, this one is pricey but it packs one heck of a punch.
Nice to hear a bit of good news for a change.
I know that the LCP had that annoying problem of going off when it was dropped. But, Ruger must have gotten the problem fixed, because a co-worker of mine picked one up yesterday.
I’m a revolver guy, myself. I’d try the LCR.
Posted by BlueStateSaint
03/12/2009 at 04:40 PM
Of that list, I personally recommend the PF-9. I know the Kel-Tecs well, and they stand behind their product. Yeah, the P3AT is smaller, but the PF-9 is full honk +p rated, and look at that price list. KT best choice. PF-9 best choice of the listed options.
To enhance on that, my P3AT is for when I need itty-bitty, it’s +p rated, and has 7 +p Gold-Dots in it. If I’ve got a bit more room, my P-11 has 11 Powr-ball in it. Not much bigger, but a bit. That PF-9 is right smack in the middle, and would have been the ONE gun I would have of the three, had it been available when I was looking for a very small CCW.
BTW: For carry, I recommend mixing up the sequence of rounds. A hollowpoint, FMJ, hollowpoint, Glazer, you get the point. As long as I am reasonably accurate (and I can still do a 3” shot group at 25M) I don’t think the .45 will let me down.
Forgot to mention one other point, Drew - In Bucks County the CCW card took me LESS time to acquire. NJ and those communist pricks in Trenton can kiss my hairy ass.
CM
Is there such a thing as +P .380 or 9mm? I checked my loading manuals and didn’t see it. The little .380 runs at relatively low pressure, 21K psi, just like the .45 ACP and the still-anemic .38 Spl+P. The old 9mm Luger runs at the same pressure as a .357 Magnum. Going to a 9mm +P would push pressures up into the 43K psi range, which is where pistol brass starts to fail.
I can see making a +P .380. Getting the pressure up to 30K would give you 1100fps from 100gr bullets. But the case is so darned small that you’d better weigh every single charge by hand; one or two tenths of a grain will drive pressures up really, dangerously, fast in such a dinky case. I’d want a locked breech pistol just for my peace of mind.
Oh yes. There is +p 380 to be had. My box is clearly marked so. I looked at the post about that new gee-whiz widget much further up the page, and all I actually can say there is if you want an untested, unproved wonderpuppy just to have something nobody else has, by all means go for it. I still think full honk 9 is better than +p 380, but it must depend on the sole purpose of said firearm. Still think that PF-9 is your best bet. And CorBons are your best choice of ammo. There are many good ammunition sources, but as a general rule if it is CorBon it’s HOT!
As I said, I’d go for the LCR. But, if you must have an auto, get a 9mm. You want to have the most power that you can in your hands.
Posted by BlueStateSaint
03/14/2009 at 08:14 AM
The more I look at that Boberg, the more gee-whiz it looks! If you want one, can afford one, and are willing to wait until they’re available, by all means. It is trick!
03/12/2009 at 11:41 AM
